RUSH: So, the Democrats, ladies and gentlemen, over the Petraeus report, have to be in a bit of a dilemma. They are being steered by allies in the Drive-By Media to try to get on board what looks to be a very successful surge operation. We’ve had numerous stories in the New York Times suggesting that we can’t leave. It would be irresponsible to leave. We can’t lose. We’ve had stories in the New York Times about how successful the surge is, from previous critics, liberals at the Brookings Institution. We have had other comments from certain Democrats suggesting that they are a little concerned that they are so wedded to the notion of defeat. So the Petraeus report is coming, and it’s already been leaked that he’s going to suggest that things are going so well that we can start a draw-down of troops, particularly from some of these areas, and by next summer we might have fewer people there than we do now. Well, this is a dilemma for the Democrats, and the reason I think that there’s some trouble in paradise here is that not all of the Drive-Bys are on board with this new switch in Democrat policy. If they were smart, they would try to find a way to get back off the cliff and by the end of the year, going into the presidential primaries, have it understood that they’re on board for US victory. And there are some people that want the Democrats to do it. But apparently some Democrats have no desire for it to be done.
This story from the AP, ‘Anti-war Democrats’ — and I actually should read, “Anti-American Democrats” — ‘on Thursday accused President Bush of plotting to lace a potentially pivotal report from General Petraeus with White House spin.
The attack came as senior congressional aides are reported as saying the White House wanted to block public testimony in Congress next month from General Petraeus and the US ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker. Democrats are also angry the assessment on the surge required under US law will be written at the White House, not personally by Crocker and Petraeus. But the White House accused Democrats of playing political games with war strategy and made clear the two men would appear in public.’ Now, the law requiring the Iraq war report by September 15th states — What, putting you to sleep in there? Giant yawn from the chief of staff. The law requiring the Iraq war — report by September 15th, states, quote, “The president shall submit the assessment to Congress after consulting top military brass, the US ambassador to Baghdad, and his national security team.” It does not specify that the report be written by Crocker or Petraeus. But the Democrats are out there, he’s going to fake it, he’s going to dummy it up, he’s going to spin it, he’s writing it. He’s not probably going to write it, either. But regardless, what this tells me, that they’re all not together on this. They’re going to try to go out and say that the Petraeus report is worthless and irrelevant because Bush writes it. So this tells me that the New York Times may be failing. This tells me that Democrat Drive-By allies may be failing in their attempt to talk sense into Democrat leadership. That takes us to the audio sound bites. Let’s go, start with number six. I predicted to you, by the way, back on August 7th, they’re going to try to discredit Petraeus. They tried to discredit Petraeus when they found those weapons caches over there, well, how good can he be, for finding all these insurgent weapons caches, they didn’t know they were there — so they’re doing it, and here’s a Drive-By ally, CNN, our old buddy Bill Schneider with one of the most ridiculous polls. This is exactly what I have told you a poll is. This is a poll not to be reflective of public opinion, this is a poll attempting to mold public opinion. Here’s our old buddy, a montage of Bill Schneider on CNN yesterday.
SCHNEIDER: Suppose General Petraeus reports that the US is making progress in Iraq. Would that have much impact on public opinion? Apparently not. 72% of Americans say it would not affect their view of the war at all. Only 28% say it would make them more likely to support the war, and most of those already favor the war. But does the public trust the top commander to report what’s really going on? Only 43% say yes. A majority of Americans say they do not expect a completely objective report. And that public skepticism is certain to be reinforced by the fact that the report will actually be compiled by the White House. Any document that is submitted by the White House is bound to be seen as a political document.
RUSH: All right, all right, I take it back, I take back everything I said earlier about the Democrats, you know, realizing here they got a problem and trying to get back on board the victory parade. This that you just heard from Bill Schneider is some of the most irresponsible, embarrassing, and shameful reporting on a so-called objective news network that I can recall. And that’s saying something. This is just patently outrageous. “Suppose General Petraeus reports that the US is making progress. Would that have much impact on public opinion? Apparently not. 72% of Americans say it would not affect their view of the war at all.” Bill, your poll’s worthless. Other polls already suggest the American people’s opinion of the war is going up. The president’s approval numbers are going up. And your precious buddies in Congress are the ones sinking down into a sinkhole. And then he says, only 28% say it would make them more likely to support the war. And most of those already favor the war. But does the public trust the top commander to report what’s really going on? Only 43% — I wonder why this is? They’re not trying to predict future attitudes, they’re trying to shape it, make it. This is shoddy. This would get a normal person fired — you would flunk journalism school — well, take that back. This would probably get you a prime job someplace. I mean only 43% of the public trust the top commander. Why is that, Bill? You’ve been working for how many years here to destroy the reputation of everybody in the military, everybody in the White House. And then, public skepticism is certain to be reinforced by the fact the report will be compiled by the White House. How do you know that, Bill?
You’re going to try to make that happen at CNN and elsewhere in the Drive-By Media. Bill, you need to get informed. You work for a news network, you know the law. The law says that the White House will write this report. Let me remind you again, the law requiring the Iraq war report by September 15th — and this is a law, by the way, where do law come from, Bill? No, no, no, not the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court — Congress, Bill. Run by who? Your buddies. The law requiring the Iraq war report by September 15th states: “The president shall submit.” That’s in quotes, Bill. So you have your worthless, shameful, irresponsible, infantile report. Public skepticism certain to be reinforced? Well, Bill, if you think that, why don’t you try to console them by telling them the truth, that the law requires it to come from the White House? Actually, from the president! He’s doing exactly what the law says. You’re doing this stupid little story hoping to fuel skepticism, hyping up his lack of credibility that you have helped create. And if you’re really worried about skepticism, which you’re not, you want more of it, you can simply eliminate the skepticism by assuring the beloved yet microscopically tiny audience at CNN of what the truth of the law is. Any document submitted by the White House bound to be seen as a political document? No, you want people to see it as a political document.
Okay, so I have to think, folks, I have been wrong, earlier this week and last, when I suggested that the Democrats were trying to figure out a way to get themselves back on the right side of this, apparently — this is probably not going over well in the New York Times, and apparently it ain’t working if all these stories about how they’re trying to destroy Petraeus’ reputation, sully the credibility of the report, which frankly, to be honest, I’m happy to see. I want them to go over the cliff and stay off the cliff on this. I want the people of this country to know that their modern day Democrat Party is invested in defeat, is going to do everything it can to bring defeat about, that these Democrats are insistent on the US losing, while George Bush is in the White House. I want the American people to know this, because I don’t care what polls show about support for the war, the one thing that we know is the American people do not like losing, they don’t like their military losing, particularly a fight, a military fight or any other kind of fight, and they don’t like quitting and giving up. And if the Democrats can engineer this, and they try to saddle it around Bush and his neck, which they’re not going to be able to do, because we have the sound bites. We are going to pummel this country with everything these Democrats have said all year about this, and people are going to find out about it if there’s still any doubt left, which there won’t be, we will take care of this. So I’m actually kind of happy that they’re apparently content to stay on this road that they’re on to full McGovernization.